Even best medical reporting infected with “make do” bias

Another set of questions to be asked

Rosenthal’s article stated that, “In coming months, The New York Times will look at common procedures, drugs and medical encounters to examine how the economic incentives underlying the fragmented health care market in the United States have driven up costs, putting deep economic strains on consumers and the country.”

That’s a worthwhile project. But there’s a phrase in the recent story that is crying out for further attention: “top-notch patient care.” No one appears to be prepared to examine (independent of cost) what is, in fact, the best-of-the-best — or how cost-cutting mania squelches our appetite for that aspiration.

Samantha Cook did the principal research and reporting for this story.